Apparatus for processing textile materials in flat strips, such as bedding materials

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the guiding and processing of articles such as textile materials of certain lengths which have at least two side edges to be hemmed, including a supply station, a cutting station adapted to cut the material to predetermined lengths as supplied from the supply station, a conveyer for delivering the cut materials away from the cutting station to a sewing station where a hemming operation is performed, the hemmed material is delivered away from the sewing station by a conveyer, a folding apparatus coupled to the delivery conveyer and receiving the material therefrom and performing a folding of material, wherein a pair of sewing stations are arranged parallel with respect to each other and, an intermediate conveyer is arranged after the pair of sewing stations and operating at a higher delivery speed than the conveyer receiving the piece of material from the sewing station, a transfer conveyer arranged along the longitudinal side of the intermediate conveyer for transferring the hemmed piece of material to the folding apparatus.

United States Patent [191 Arbter 1 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TEXTILE MATERIALS IN FLAT STRIPS, SUCH AS BEDDING MATERIALS [76] Inventor: Conrad Arbter, Mittelweg 1 1/10,

Saal a.d. Saale, Germany 221 Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 318,241

' [30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 9, 1972 Germany 2228159 [52] US. Cl. Ill/121.15, 112/203 [51 Int. Cl D05b 27/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..112/2,121.11,12l.12,

Flanagan 1 12/2 Mar. 12, 1974 Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Attorney, Agent, or FirmErnest F. Marmorek [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for the guiding and processing of articles such as textile materials of certain lengths which have at least two side edges to be hemmed, including a supply station, a cutting station adapted to cut the material to predetermined lengths as supplied from the supply station, a conveyer for delivering the cut materials away from the cutting station to a sewing station where a hemming operation is performed, the hemmed material is delivered away from the sewing station by a conveyer, a folding apparatus coupled to the delivery conveyer and receiving the material therefrom and performing a folding of material,

wherein a pair of sewing stations are arranged parallel with respect to each other and, an intermediate conveyer is arranged after the pair of sewing stations and operating at a higher delivery speed than the conveyer receiving the piece of material from the sewing station, a transfer conveyer arranged along the longitudinal side of the intermediate conveyer for transferring the hemmed piece of material to the folding apparatus.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures mmmm 12 1914 3,796' 171 sum 1 or 5 PATENTEDHAR 12 1974 SHEET 3 [IF 5 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TEXTILE MATERIALS IN FLAT STRIPS, SUCH AS BEDDING MATERIALS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for guiding and processing of a strip material into flat textile finished products which at least on their two sides have a hem line, such as is the case with bedding materials and, whichstrip material at a cutting station of a sewing apparatus becomcscut up to certain length and, after passing a hemming station of a sewing station it reaches a subsequently arranged delivery device and is delivered to the receiving input of a folding apparatus.

BACKGROUND-OF THE INVENTION In the manufacturing of flat textile products which have a hemming on-two of their side edges, such as is the case with bedding materials, there have been known sewing apparatus which pull off the strip of material from a supply roller and, cut the material to certain lengths and then a hem is preformed on both side edges of the cut piece. The cut piece thereafter is further moved in a processing shape having an U-form with spread-out leg portions transversely away from the supply roller by a removing arrangement and with the help of a delivery device it is supplied to a hem sewing station. In fully automated devices to each of the hem forming sewing machines a folding arrangement is attached in which the piece will be folded several times and, at the end of the last folding step, it will have a size which is ready for packaging.

In an apparatus of the above described type all manual operation have been eliminated from the very cutting up of the workpiece to its final packaging, however, inasmuch as the very costly folding apparatus, the cost of which is about the same as that of the sewing apparatus, is not used to its full capacity, its amortization is very slow and uneconomical. The insufficient use of the capacity of the folding arrangement can be explained mainly by that the operating speed of the sewing apparatus is conditioned or determined by the operating speed of the hemming station, while at the same time, the capacity of the folding apparatus is a multiple of the operating speed or piece. capacity of the preceding apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the manufacturing of textile.

materials having at least a pair of side hem lines which is capable of making full use of the capacity of a subsequently arranged folding'apparatus.

The invention provides that the delivery means from the sewing machines of a pair of sewing stations are provided parallel with respect to each other and feeding toward each other and, between these two delivery devices an intermediate delivery device is provided which has a delivery speed much larger than the adjacent delivery devices from the machines and, which has its longitudinal side turned toward the folding station and having a device arranged thereto for the delivery of the textile flat materials to a delivery device of the folding apparatus which delivery device is arranged substantially transverse with respect to the above mentioned intermediate delivery devices of the two sewing stations.

By using this arrangement one attains the possibility that the folding apparatus can be alternatively supplied from two sewing stations and its capacity can be fully used and, thereby to substantially reduce the armortization costs of the folding apparatus and, as a matter of fact, it is possible to reduce it to half of its time which would be without the use'of the present invention.

A preferred arrangement which is especially advantageous with respect to space requirements for general sewing systems is distinguished by its provision that the removal of the strip of the material from the supply roller to the cutting stations occurs perpendicularly with respect to the removal conveyers of the sewing stations and that the delivery conveyers of the folding apparatus operate parallel with respect to the removal direction of the strip material. In top view the overall apparatus will form an E the base of which connecting the three transverse legs of it is formed by the two removal conveyers of the sewing stations and the transverse legs of which are formed by the delivery conveyers of the cutting stations and by the delivery conveyers of the folding station. Such arrangement provides for the simple and most space-saving arrangement of the delivery and receiving paths of the overall arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodi ments thereof shown, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a 1c illustrate, in a top view, each of a different embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in the direction of the arrow II-II of FIG. 1a;

FIG. 3 is a section according to the line IIIIII of FIG. la 1c;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view within one of the sewing stations of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a section along the line VV of FIG. 1a 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. la, lb and 1c the reference characters 1 and 2 identify the material removing stations of a sewing apparatus and which stations 1 and 2 are arranged at opposite ends of the 'overal apparatus-and in each of which a stand 3 carries a supply roller 4 rotatably arranged so that the material can be removed therefrom. The supply roller4 and its stand can be more clearly seen in a side view in the illustration of FIG. 2. The material strip which isremoved from the roller 4 is delivered through several guide rollers S to a control table 6 which is provided with a plurality of conveyer bands 7 which operate parallel with respect to each other and which are driven by a motor not shown in the drawings. The control table 6 next is followed by a cutting station 8 of the sewing apparatus which has a pair of supporting surfaces 9, 10 for the strip of material. As can be seen in the illustration of FIGS. la 1c the supply rollers 4 and the cutting stations 8 are symmetrically arranged or as in FIG. 10 and, their parts are the same on both sides of the arrangement.

Between the two supporting surfaces 9, for the strip material there is a recess 11 provided which serves for the receiving of the strip of material which will be pulled down in the form of a U.

For the pulling out of the strip of the material a pull element 13 is provided mounted on a guide bar 12 which is arranged on the side of the strip material and as can be seen in the Figures, the element 13 is outside of the width of the strip of the material. The pull ele ment 13 is also driven by means which are not shown in the drawing. The magnitude of the path of movement of the pull element 13 is limited by bossing and can be set to any desired length of the material strip, so that longer strips are pulled further down, while shorter strips are pulled down less.

The cutting stations 8 include each a circular cutting device 15 driven by a motor 14. The circular cutting device 15 is movable over a guide transversely with respect to the direction of the removal path of the material. In order that during the cutting process the free end of the material as well as the severed end could be held on the supporting surfaces 9, 10, the latter are provided with a pair of conveyer bands l6, 17, which are moved at a certain height and which during the cutting process itself are let down to engage the supporting surfaces 9, 10 but at the time are not driven. Only after the cutting process has been completed, they start delivering the severed material pieces now in a substantially U-form with leg portions spread outwardly, toward the respective sewing station. The cutting stations 8 further are provided with a clamping device 18 which is carried by a carrying device 19 and can be moved closely adjacent over both of the supporting surfaces 9, 10 into the region of the circular cutting device 15 in order that it could catch and hold the free end of the material after the cutting process has taken place and to deliver it into the region of the supporting surface 9.

The piece of material which has been caught and held by the delivery conveyers l6, l7 and being in the form of a U with its leg portions spread outwardly, as

,can be seen more clearly in the showing of FIG. 2, is delivered in this position to the respective sewing stations which, as can be seen in FIG. 3, each comprises a pair of sewing machines 20, 21 and which are arranged in a head-to-head position and which on both edges of the material form a hem line in a known manner from a hem material as can be seen more closely with reference to FIG. 4. In order to avoid the stopping of the entire apparatus in the event there is athread break on one of the sewing machines or some other disturbance, both sewing machines 20, 21 are arranged each on a rotating table 22, 23, and each rotating table has an additional sewing machine 24, 25 provided thereon either of which can be brought into the operating position of the disabled sewing machines 20 or 21, if this is the case.

In the region of the sewing stations, both sewing machines 20, 21 are provided with conveyers 26, 27 which, after the material piece has left the region of the delivery conveyers l6, 17, provide for the advancing of the material through the sewing stations. The conveyer bands 26, 27 move the material pieces and press them on a glide surface provided within the sewing stations and thereby one attains an advancing movement of the material through the friction coupling between the conveyer bands 26, 27 and the material itself.

Both conveyer bands 26, 27 (FIGS. lalc) are arranged parallel with respect to each other and serve at the same time as the removal means from the sewing stations. There are a pair of conveyer bands 29, 30 arranged subsequently and which are identified as an intermediate conveyer 28. The intermediate conveyer 28, as indicated in the drawings, is a kind of extension of both of the conveyer bands 26, 27. As soon as the back end of the material whenviewed in the delivery direction, and which is still in the shape of an U with outwardly bent leg portions and which have undergone the hemming process, has left the stitching station of the sewing machines 20, 21 and, when its front end has reached the intermediate conveyer band 28, the material will become engaged and held by conveyer band 28 and delivered into the region of an input conveyer of a folding apparatus arranged between both of the sewing stations.

Inasmuch as the piece operating time of the folding apparatus is substantially shorter than one of the sewing machines, the folding apparatus will be supplied alternatively from both of the sewing stations. Since both of the sewing stations are arranged in a mirror-like manner with respect to the folding station, it is necessary that the intermediate conveyer band 28 is driven by a reversible motor and that it be moved alternatively from left to the right and from right to the left when viewed in respect to FIGS. la 1c. It is noted that the delivery speed of the intermediate conveyer 28 is substantially larger than that of both of the conveyer bands 26, 27. It is within the scope of the present invention that instead of a reversible intermediate conveyer band 28, an individual conveyer band could be provided for each delivery direction and which then would be arranged as a pair closely adjacent to each other and could be controlled, for example, by a photocell device from the associated sewing station to run the one which is to receive a good. I

Sideways with respect to the intermediate conveyer 28, as can be seen in FIG. 5, at the longitudinal side thereof which is turned toward the folding station, there is provided a transfer device for the delivery of the piece of material on which the hemming has been already performed, to the input conveyer of the folding station. It is noted that the delivery direction of such device is substantially perpendicular with respect to the delivery direction of the intermediate conceyer band 28. Such transfer device of the material pieces consist, as can be seen in the illustrated embodiments, of at least a pair of clamps 3l .(See FIG. 5) arranged along the sides of the delivery conceyer 30, and which clamping means 31 consists each of a fixed member 32 and a movable member 33. In order to close the movable member 32 of one of the clamping means 31, there is provided an angular lever 35 pivotably arranged about an axle 34 and, one end of which cooperates with the movable member 33 of the clamping means 31, while the other end thereof is coupled with the operating rod or armature of an electromagnet 36 the energizing circuit of which is either opened or closed in dependence from the position of the piece of material and, is controlled by a photocell arrangement. Both clamping means 31 are fixedly coupled with a chain 39 passing over a pair of guide rollers 37, 38 and which are driven by reversible motor (not shown) the reversing operation of which is performed by a further photocell arrangement and which performs the positioning of the clamping device 31 between its right end position, illustrated in FIG. 5 and, between its left end position, not shown. In the region of the left end position of clamping means 31 is a boss 40 provided for the movable member 33 of each of the clamping means 31 for opening up the clamping means 31 before its returning movement to its right end position and to hold the piece of material for a short time fixed on a supporting surface 41.

The supporting surface 41 is followed next by a folding device which performs the first folding operation of the material and, which includes a folding bar 43 supported in a carrier 42 and a pair of associated folder pushers 44. The folder pushers 44 are carried by oscillating arms 45 which are journaled on a support 46 and which are driven by a crank drive 47, not shown in the drawing in detail, since crank drives are known per se.

This first folding station of the folding apparatus is followed by several other folding stations, as illustrated in the drawing, in which the textile piece which has already been folded along its longitudinal sides will become folded further so at the end of the folding process it will attain a ready to pack size. In the illustrated embodiments the further folding stations comprise folder blades 48, 50 which are inserted into a partition. The advancing movement of the material from the first to the second folding station is performed by usual delivery conveyers (not shown) while from the second to the next folding station is performed by the folder blades 48, 50. After the materials leave the last folding station the folded material in its final shape is removed from the apparatus by means of a removal conveyer 49.

The overall apparatus operates as follows:

It has been assumed that both sewing stations produce similar bedding material and that at both removal stations of the sewing devices a similar length of material will be removed. In the cutting station 8 the free end of the strip material becomes engaged by a clamp 18 and it becomes brought to the supporting surface 19 and becomes there held fixedly by means of the conveyer band 16. The removing or pulling element 13 will guide then one of the cut strips and pulls down a certain length of the material into the recess 11. The pulling of the material will be aided by the conveyer band 7 which is now in motion. After the desired length of the strip material has been pulled down into a U-shape, the conveyer band 17 is set down onto the supporting surface and holds down the material fixedly on it. The circular cutting device 15 now is moved transversely to the pulling direction of the strip and separates the desired length of the material from the supply roller 4.

After the cutting process has taken place, both delivery conveyers 16 and 17 are turned on and they deliver the cut strip material into the region of the sewing machines 20, 21 which on both of the cut edges of the strip perform a hemming operation. During the sewing process the piece of cut material will pass over to the conveyer bands 26, 27 which are arranged subsequent to the conveyer bands 16, 17 and such transition occurs as long as the sewing stations 20, 21 are operational and until the back end of the strip material, when viewed in the delivery direction, has left the sewing machines 20, 21. Now the intermediate conveyer band 28 takes over the material and the conveyer bands 29, 30 of which run at a higher delivery speed then the conveyer bands 26, 27 and .will cause an advancing of the material and will remove it into the region of the folding apparatus. Looking at FIG. 5 it is noted that the left leg of the material which is in the shape of a U overlaps the edge of the conveyer band 30 by a slight amount and such leg of the U of the material will become engaged by the clamping means 31 while the intermediate conveyer 28 is stationary. The clamping means 31 will place the material onto the supporting or spreading surface 41. The material which is now in its completely flat shape again on the supporting surface 41, will next be brought into the region of the first folding station of the folding apparatus and becomes subsequently severally folded in the following stations.

In the meantime, in the removal station 2 of the second sewing apparatus gets a similar strip material pulled through which then in the cutting station becomes severed into an individual piece in a similar manner as above and becomes led into the second sewing station of the overall apparatus which then will hem both of the cut edges of the material, as above. Inasmuch as the two sewing stations operate in a delayed fashion time-wise with respect to each other, while in the first sewing station the second piece of material is still undergoing the hemming operation, the first piece of the material in the second sewing station has just left with its back end the station and becomes engaged and held by the intermediate conveyer band 28 now running in the opposite direction with respect to its first running direction and delivers the material into the region of the transfer device. Here the piece of material is engaged by the clamp means 31, as described above, and is spread out on the supporting surface 41 and then delivered further to the folding stations of the folding apparatus.

In the meantime, the second piece of material has left the first sewing station and becomes engaged and held by the intermediate conveyer 28 and delivered into the region of the folding apparatus and becomes there folded.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In an apparatus for the guiding and processing of articles such as textile materials of certain lengths which have at least two side edges to be hemmed, comprising a supply station, a cutting station adapted to cut the material as supplied from said supply station to predetermined lengths, first removing means for removing said cut materials away from said cutting station, a sewing station coupled to said first removing means for receiving said material and performing a hemming operation thereon, a second removing means coupled to said sewing station for removing the material away from said sewing station, a folding means coupled to said second removing means and adapted to receive the material therefrom, said folding means performing a folding on said material, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. said sewing station comprising a pair of primary sewing means arranged parallel with respect to each other;

b. said second removing means comprising an intermediate conveyer means arranged after said sewing means and operating at a higher removal speed than the first removing means, said two sewing means being adapted to feed said conveyer means hemmed material alternately;

c. a transfer means arranged along the longitudinal side of said intermediate conveyer means for transferring the hemmed materials therefrom to said folding apparatus.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piece of material is removed from said supply station in a predetermined direction, said first removing means removing the cut pieces from said cutting station in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the removal of the material from said supply station, said folding apparatus being arranged in a direction parallel with respect to the direction ofremoval of said material from said supply station and perpendicular to the direction of removal of said material from said sewing station.

c. each said primary sewing means comprises a pair of sewing means. 

1. In an apparatus for the guiding and processing of articles such as textile materials of certain lengths which have at least two side edges to be hemmed, comprising a supply station, a cutting station adapted to cut the material as supplied from said supply station to predetermined lengths, first removing means for removing said cut materials away from said cutting station, a sewing station coupled to said first removing means for receiving said material and performing a hemming operation thereon, a second removing means coupled to said sewing station for removing the material away from said sewing station, a folding means coupled to said second removing means and adapted to receive the material therefrom, said folding means performing a folding on said material, wherein the improvement comprises: a. said sewing station comprising a pair of primary sewing means arranged parallel with respect to each other; b. said second removing means comprising an intermediate conveyer means arranged after said sewing means and operating at a higher removal speed than the first removing means, said two sewing means being adapted to feed said conveyer means hemmed material alternately; c. a transfer means arranged along the longitudinal side of said intermediate conveyer means for transferring the hemmed materials therefrom to said folding apparatus.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piece of material is removed from said supply station in a predetermined direction, said first removing means removing the cut pieces from said cutting station in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the removal of the material from said supply station, said folding apparatus being arranged in a direction parallel with respect to the direction of removal of said material from said supply station and perpendicular to the direction of removal of said material from said sewing station.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a. said supply station comprises a pair of supply means, each said supply means having a supply roller means; b. said cutting station comprises a pair of cutting means; and c. each said primary sewing means comprises a pair of sewing means. 